Hey Ron,
I'm getting my carnet in Australia, so can only speak for what happens here, but I think most carnet issuers offer an insurance policy. This means you don't have to physically pay the deposit in cash, but have an insurance policy for it. It would really be worth your while contacting whichever carnet issuer you will use to find out about the different methods of payment.
Also the value of your bike may not necessarily have to be the market value. I think different carnet issuers require different levels of proof of the value. For example, the NRMA in NSW, Aus require a written valuation. I've got this from a licenced valuer who has given me a wholesale value, which is considerably less than the market value if I wanted to go out and buy the same vehicle tomorrow. All up the total cost to me for the carnet for Africa (Egypt being the most expensive country) is about AU$1000, so definately manageable.
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